Having a favourable President in the White House has emboldened China’s stance. It has repeatedly intruded into Taiwan’s autonomous zone and has also increased surveillance near the region of the Senkaku islands. But despite the stance regarding China in the White House, the Morrison government remains unfettered as it has increasingly started cracking down on Chinese projects and is also ready to take the paper dragon head-on into the battleground.
The possibility of a war between China and Taiwan “should not be discounted,” but Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said on Sunday that Australia would work with its allies in the area to keep the peace. China had become increasingly open about its reunification intentions with Taiwan, Dutton told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
“I don’t think it should be discounted,” Dutton said when asked whether the prospects of a battle over Taiwan were growing. “People need to be realistic about the activity,” Dutton added. “There is militarisation of bases across the region. Obviously, there is a significant amount of activity and there is an animosity between Taiwan and China.”
China lashed out against comments made by Australia, and even went as far as saying, “Australia is sick, needs to take medicine.”
Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson from China’s Foreign Ministry said, “The difficulties faced by China-Australia relations are rooted in Australia’s interference into China’s internal affairs, its inflicting damages on China’s interests, and it trade discrimination against China.”
“Australia is sick, however it is asking others to take medicine, which will not solve the problem at all,” Wang added.
Tensions have grown between the two states following the outburst of the pandemic. Since the Australian government called for an independent external inquiry into China’s Wuhan for investigating the origins of the virus, China has used belligerent practices in an attempt to hurt Australia but alas, all have failed miserably. On the other hand, they have come to bite back China in the posterior, rather harshly, one must say.
In addition, Australia has increasingly doubled down over every and any Chinese projects in the region to teach China a lesson, and unlike the Chinese attempt, this one has clearly worked.
Australia cancelled China’s BRI project with Victoria, an Australian state, and has further signalled to cancel the Darwin port lease and also will crack down upon the Confucius institutes which have prospered in Australia.
Following the cancellation of the Victoria Belt and Road agreement with China by the Morrison government, calls have been made within Australia for similar steps to be taken against the Darwin port lease.
Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister of Australia, for example, tweeted, “While Morrison is examining Chinese infrastructure investments, why not take another look at the strategic Port of Darwin? The Liberals signed a 99-year lease when Morrison was treasurer. Liberal trade minister Andrew Robb later took a job with the same Chinese company.”
While Morrison is examining Chinese infrastructure investments, why not take another look at the strategic Port of Darwin? The Liberals signed a 99-year lease when Morrison was treasurer. Liberal trade minister Andrew Robb later took a job with the same Chinese company. pic.twitter.com/IoeeRnvLBb
— Office of Kevin Rudd, 26th PM of Australia (@MrKRudd) April 22, 2021
In the meantime, Sky News announced that two Chinese language centres in Australian university campuses are being investigated. Confucius Institutes at the Universities of Queensland and Adelaide are listed in the study. According to Sky News, the centres have sparked controversy due to suspected ties to the Chinese government, with critics claiming that they may have an effect on Chinese language and cultural education in Australia.
Australia’s reservations regarding the Confucius Institutes are consistent with those of the rest of the free world. They are being more and more recognised as part of the Chinese Communist Party’s global propaganda effort.
Australia under Morrison did not even stop there. In 2016, China enthusiastically purchased the Van Dairy Group for $280 million. However, the Chinese owners are now being driven away from Australia. The group’s Chinese owners want to sell at least half of their farms.
The Van Dairy Group operates a total of 23 farms in Tasmania, Australia. Conditions at Tasmania’s iconic Van Dairy farm, which consists of 23 farms and 30,000 cows, have been deteriorating since its 2016 acquisition by China’s Moon Lake investments, according to confidential records, photos, and accounts from employees and locals obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Because of greedy Chinese owners’ indifference to Australia’s animals, Communists were driven out of the dairy industry. The Van Dairy Group is about to be taken control of by Australia again.
The US is indifferent towards Chinese belligerency in the South China Sea, or even regarding Taiwan. The Biden administration has refused to counter the Chinese threat, not because it does not have the resources, but because it has no will to do so. Despite no support from the US, Australia under Scott Morrison has beleaguered China. Putting up unofficial trade embargos on Australian goods might be China’s worst mistake to take on the nation down under and Australia is surely making China pay.